My Life; Travel Guy, Jim Grabinski

Longtime St. Cloud area resident, businessman, historian and travel expert, Jim Grabinski joined me for an appearance on WJON's My Life Series.  Jim grew up in Sauk Rapids in the 1940s and 50s and was within what he calls running distance to downtown.  He was one of 6 kids that included 5 boys and 1 girl.  The Grabinski family also has roots in Popple Creek. Jim's father worked for the railroad before taking a job with Rosby's Funeral Home, which is Dingmann Funeral Home today.  Jim's mother worked in the meat department at the original Coborn's Grocery store in downtown Sauk Rapids.  The old Coborns was next to where Lost Times Tavern now is.

As a kid Jim was interested in sports especially baseball.  He was a bat boy for the Sauk Rapids baseball team when he was approximately 10 years old on their State Tournament team.  Grabinski played pee wee baseball in Sauk Rapids and at one time, St. Cloud.  He also had a job as a scoreboard operator at St. Cloud Rox minor baseball games.  Jim worked as a DJ playing music at ballrooms throughout the area while in high school.  In 10th grade he hosted the weekly top 20 hits of the week on KASM-Albany.

Grabinski also got involved in officiating basketball while in high school.  He worked youth basketball games to start with.  Grabinski continued working basketball games for the next 25 years including numerous high school games.  After high school Jim joined the Army and was in the 101st Airborne.  While in the service he officiated basketball, baseball and football.  He then enrolled in college at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.  On summer break he moved back to Minnesota and became a beauty supply salesman in Minneapolis.  Grabinski worked that job but a co-worker also got him interested in selling wigs on the side.  The wig selling side job made him $38,000 in a month.  He opened a place in St. Cloud called Wig Wardrobe in downtown where the Herberger's building now is.  Grabinski says it took off and remained in that location for 7 years.

When the Rox ballpark was torn down the West Gate shopping center was built in St. Cloud by Bob Feiler.  Grabinski bought Feiler's building downtown and moved his beauty supply business there.  Jim was encouraged by an employee to open an electronics store in St. Cloud.  He says he didn't know much about electronics but decided to give it a go in the early 1970s.  Grabinski recalls selling home stereo systems and reel to reel machines.  The name of the store was "Sound Electronics" before changing the name of the store to "Exclusive Sound" after realizing their customers were higher end.  Grabinski expanded to numerous electronic stores and bought out the competition store next door called "Shock Electronics".  At this time Grabinski was still operating Wholesale Beauty and Supply, the wig business and Exclusive Electronics.

Grabinski recalls expanding his businesses across the country and had celebrities using his products including Farah Fawcett.  He explained he enjoyed what he did so much he felt like he never worked a day in his life.  Grabinski also bought an apartment building in Sauk Rapids which he still owns today.  He also owns a building in downtown St. Cloud today.

The 81-year old Grabinski and his partner of 33 years, Mike Smith own homes in Palm Springs, California and here in St. Cloud.  The two enjoy traveling and have done seminars in this community highlighting locations they have visited.  Both Jim and Mike have appeared on It Matters with Kelly Cordes for more than 10 years as the Travel Guys.  The two have also been regular panelists on WJON's Stump the Panel show on the Morning News Watch with me.

If you'd like to listen to my 4-part conversation with Jim Grabinski it is available below.